Time is Not the Only Change

Falling back can mean making adjustments for health and safety.

Jenny Burke is the Senior Director of Advocacy for the National Safety Council.

​Most of the nation gained an hour of sleep early Sunday morning, as people observed the annual "fall back" ritual, but what we lose in the months ahead may be far more significant.

With the time change, we gain an hour of daylight in the morning and lose an hour of daylight in the evening. So, depending on your personal schedule, you might get more daylight or less, and daylight is a critical resource in the body's ability to produce vitamin D.

In our bodies, vitamin D contributes to bone health, to the immune system and to reducing inflammation. In our diet, however, it's comparatively rare. It appears naturally in very few foods, and while it can be added as a supplement, it's created primarily through exposure to sunlight, when the ultraviolet rays from the sun reach our skin and trigger vitamin D synthesis.

In a study released earlier this year, researchers warned that shift workers, healthcare workers and people whose jobs keep them indoors may be at an increased risk for vitamin D deficiency. The study recommended that workplace wellness programs make a point of addressing the importance of vitamin D in the hopes of preventing metabolic disorders, psychiatric and cardiovascular disorders, and even cancer.

The winter sun isn't the strongest, but making a point of spending some time outside in the morning or early afternoon can help. Taking trips to warmer weather destinations or making use of UV lamps can also help with vitamin D production in the colder months.